When the Peoria Journal Star reported in March 2026 that Dillan Bentley had signed a two-year, one-way AHL contract with the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens’ farm club, the story fit a familiar frame: local kid makes good, one step from the NHL. The Peoria Journal Star noted that Bentley could make his professional debut in Laval this spring. What the feel-good angle obscures is how many AHL players never get a single NHL game and how little the structure protects them.
One Contract Highlights the Gap Between the Official Narrative and the Numbers
The AHL rightly promotes its role as the NHL’s primary development league. According to the league, 596 AHL graduates were on NHL opening-night rosters for the 2025-26 season, and the vast majority of NHL players have AHL experience. The Peoria Journal Star’s coverage of Bentley’s deal with Laval is accurate: a one-way AHL contract guarantees his salary even if he is assigned to a lower level, and Laval is the main pipeline to the Canadiens. The gap is between that success story and the reality that most AHL players will never become NHL regulars. Research cited by Canucks Army and similar analysts suggests that roughly two-thirds of active AHL skaters will play at least one NHL game, with graduation rates dropping sharply by age 22-23. That leaves a large cohort who spend years in the minors without a call-up, on pay that often sits in the $52,000 to $90,000 range for standard AHL contracts, with take-home pay after taxes sometimes as low as a few hundred dollars per week in high-cost markets, as reported by The Athletic and salary analysts.
High-profile cases underscore the disconnect. Darren Haydar, the 14th-highest scorer in AHL history with 788 points over 11 seasons, was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame despite playing only 23 NHL games; The Hockey News reported that his size and the NHL’s preferences at the time limited his opportunities. Sam Anas, the AHL’s leading scorer in one season with 70 points, was left off the Minnesota Wild’s expanded playoff roster despite 169 points in 193 AHL games, as Zone Coverage reported. Matthew Phillips had over 200 AHL games, an All-Star appearance, and more than 100 goals but received only three NHL games with Calgary before moving on, with The Athletic noting that his 5-foot-7 frame made teams reluctant to invest. The structure rewards a few call-ups and leaves many talented players without a real shot.
NHL teams have increased investment in AHL operations and moved affiliates closer to home for better oversight, as NHL.com has reported. The relationship benefits the NHL; the AHL supplies the vast majority of its players and coaches. But the financial and career risk still falls heavily on players. During the 2020-21 COVID-affected season, the AHL proposed cutting salaries to 40-48 percent of annual pay; The Athletic reported that players called the deal “not good” but felt they had to accept it to secure any season. One-way AHL deals like Bentley’s offer some security; they do not change the fact that the pipeline is built to develop a subset of players while many others never get a sustained NHL chance.
What This Actually Means
The evidence adds up to a reality check. Celebrating a single AHL contract is fair and human. Treating it as the whole story is not. The official narrative is that the AHL is the path to the NHL; the reality is that the path is narrow, that pay and job security for most AHL players are modest, and that the structure protects the interests of the NHL and its affiliates more than it protects the majority of minor-league players. Until coverage and policy both acknowledge that gap, the feel-good story will keep obscuring it.
What Is a One-Way AHL Contract?
A one-way AHL contract means the player is paid his full AHL salary regardless of whether he is assigned to the AHL or sent to a lower league, such as the ECHL. That differs from a two-way NHL contract, where a player earns one (higher) rate in the NHL and another (lower) rate when assigned to the AHL. For a player like Bentley, who is not yet on an NHL contract, a one-way AHL deal offers stability: he will earn his agreed AHL salary for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons even if Laval sends him to the ECHL. The Peoria Journal Star reported that Bentley is believed to be only the third Peoria-born or Peoria Youth Hockey Association product to reach the AHL level. The contract is a real achievement; it does not guarantee an NHL debut, and most AHL players never get one.
Sources
Peoria Journal Star – How a Peoria-born hockey player got closer to his dream with AHL contract (March 2026).
TheAHL.com – Opening-night NHL rosters include 596 AHL grads.
The Hockey News – Haydar, AHL Hall of Fame, and the NHL what-if.
The Athletic – AHL players weigh new salary proposal with season on the line.
NHL.com – NHL reaps benefits from relationship with AHL.